Conscionable Decisions
by tsusami
Summary: When Gaara decides to pursue an arranged marriage his siblings not only question his decision, but choose to seek help from the one person who just might be able to help. AU, NaruHina, ShikaTema, GaaraMei, NaruGaara-centric.


Disclaimer: Naruto and it's characters are the property of Masashi Kishimoto. No profit is made from this, no harm intended.

Notes: I know some of you readers are fairly familiar with my style of story telling, but this one is a little bit different. If any of you are not as excited about het pairings, this might not be for you. But don't worry, I didn't lie to you and as most of you know, NaruGaara is my OTP and this story will center on them. Hope you enjoy it~ (Big thanks to marley_station for her help!)

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Conscionable Decisions 01

The Proposal

-

Gaara hazarded a glance in her direction as they approached the small, shop front. With one hand pushing away the dark red curtain, he slid the clattering door along its track. He stepped aside to make room for her and she stooped down a little in her high heels to walk through the narrow entryway.

"Irrasshai!" a chorus of voices greeted them. The scent of miso and shoyu assaulted his senses, the air humid from the steam of boiling water. Mei was graceful even as her designer skirt settled against the simple wooden chair. Gaara seated himself across from her, ordered two waters from the young twenty-something standing over their table and watched for her reaction. Her green eyes slid over the menu and before the waiter could scurry away she held up one manicured nail.

"A bottle of Asahi Dry, please. Two glasses," she smiled. "And if you're ready to order," she glanced over at Gaara, "I'll have shoyu, hard noodles, and a boiled egg on the side." Gaara mirrored her look.

The waiter glanced at Gaara. "Miso, regular noodles," he said.

"Right away," the waiter replied, jotting down a few notes on the thick notepad clutched tightly in his left hand.

Gaara leaned his elbows on the table, cradling his chin on the back of his clasped hands. He grinned at her and she lifted a slender brow, pushing her bangs to one side where they still managed to cover her other eye.

"What? You think I don't enjoy classy joints like this?" Her crimson lips slid up as though she was challenging him.

"I wasn't sure it would suit your tastes," he replied. His eyes slid down her neck to the Tiffany's diamond hanging at her breast. Her dress was designer, a dark solid color and modest but chic; something from the boutiques though Gaara didn't recognize the brand. It was exactly the sort of thing a female partner would wear to show her status and her position of power.

"Had you taken me to something fancy and overpriced I would have ordered a salad and maybe a chef's special and played the role you seemed intent on placing me in. It's rather refreshing to discover you're a little more down to earth." Mei slid her sleeves up her arms, settling back into the chair like she was another salaryman wandering in for a drink and a good time. "You struck me as the convenience store boxed lunch type. Something with rice that's neat and easy to control. I'm relieved you're not afraid of something messy."

Gaara smiled into his hands. "I ate a lot of ramen hanging out with by best friend. It wasn't my favorite at first, but it's familiar now."

Mei nodded. "Comfort food," she supplied.

Gaara inclined his head. He smiled a little to himself as he remembered the last time he ate with Naruto and the loud protestations about his stomach not being able to wait much longer. Mei was calm as she sat in her chair, rolling her head to one side and brushing aside her long chestnut-colored hair to rub her shoulder. She looked like a woman who had worked hard all day and was ready to unwind.

"Had I known you had something less formal in mind I would have changed into something more comfortable," she teased.

"I figured you were trying to impress me," Gaara said.

She leaned forward and copied his stance, allowing the neckline of her dress to dip just enough to get a better sense of what was underneath. "Funny. I thought you were supposed to impress me."

The waiter arrived and put down two glasses of water, two empty tumblers and a large sweating bottle of beer. Gaara nodded his thanks and unclasped his hands, reaching for the sleek brown neck. Mei beat him to it and popped off the cap with ease. She gestured with a flick of her head toward his glass and he picked it up, tilting it enough so that she could pour the liquid down smoothly.

With a graceful bend of her wrist, she paused before the liquid could foam up and spill over the top. She moved to pour her own glass, but Gaara held up a hand, turning his palm up until she handed him the bottle. Her eyes watched the glass as he filled it to the top.

"You don't seem nervous about this," she commented, a little more weight placed on that last word. He lowered the bottle and placed it to the side. He kept his expression free of anything as he glanced across at the beautiful woman swirling the amber liquid in her glass. He felt nothing, he realized, and he was okay with that.

"Because I'm not," he replied.

Her lip twisted in an ambiguous cross between relief and skepticism. "You're not afraid of me," she stated, pressing her lips together and raising her brow.

"Should I be?" Gaara asked. Her eyes narrowed slightly and she lifted her chin a little higher. Her long dark lashes lowered, her glittering eyes calculating.

"Most men are," she challenged.

Gaara raised his glass to her, held it high in the middle of the table. "That's why we're here, remember? You're not most women and I'm not most men."

Mei's expression relaxed and she dipped her head in acknowledgment. She lifted her glass to meet his, the lips of their cups clinking above the din of a bustling dinner crowd.

-

Naruto's fingers slowly entangled themselves with the chilled, pale fingers beside his. Hinata's smile was immediate, and she lowered her gaze as he snuck both their hands into his pocket. They slowed their gait as they approached the bustling train station, ignoring the rushing bodies swirling around them.

"It's a little bit later than I expected. Sorry about that," Naruto rambled. Hinata shook her head, tilting her head to one side to hide her smile. Her sleek black hair slipped forward, falling into her face. "I don't want you to miss the last train!" he chuckled. A man rushing by stumbled and shoved against her shoulder. She staggered forward a step and Naruto's hand kept her from losing her balance. "Hey! Watch where you're going!" Naruto shouted, pulling Hinata into a hug against his chest. The offender shot a dirty look over his shoulder and continued along his way.

"I'm okay," Hinata said soothingly, curling into his orange hoody. Her arm slid around his waist and she hugged him despite the scene they were causing. Naruto gave her a tight squeeze and released it. Scowling at the crowd he rested his cheek against her hair. She smelled like gardenias. He breathed it in, the scent strong enough to burn his nostrils as he took a deep breath to calm himself.

"Naruto-kun," she said against his chest, her breath warm through the cotton fabric. She raised her face to his, her cheeks pale in the yellow light spilling from the street lamps. "I could stay," she suggested.

Naruto loosened his grip on her hand. He slid her fingers free from his pocket, raised it to his lips and pressed a chaste kiss to her knuckles. Her smile faltered, her lips curled up in a smile that no longer touched her eyes.

"I think if I let you stay, Neji and your father would delight in murdering me in my sleep." Her lips quirked up in amusement. He squeezed her hand again, willing away the disappointment in her eyes. "And I'm working tonight," he began.

She shook her head and her expression eased into a familiar understanding. Her dark lashes lowered as she tipped her face up to his. Naruto paused, glancing around the crowded station at the casual glances of youths, salary men or disapproving old women. His mouth quirked up in a lop-sided smile and he lowered his face to hide the flush in his cheeks. He leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers quickly, giving her another squeeze before shepherding her toward the station gates.

"I'll see you again on Saturday? I talked to Kakashi-sensei and he should be able to cover my classes that day so I'm all yours!" Naruto said enthusiastically. Hinata nodded and smiled at him, her cheeks flushing a little as the station grew more crowded. "Be careful getting back. Send Neji my regards." Naruto stuffed his hands into his pockets. He stared down at his feet as Hinata fished out her rail pass. She gave him a slight wave as she pressed her ticket against the consul, sneaking in one last glance over her shoulder as she slipped through the gates.

Naruto watched as her white sweater slipped in and out of the crowd until at last, her figure disappeared beyond the platform. Naruto's smile slipped as he turned away, scuffling his sneakers across the concrete.

He kept his head down as he slipped out the less crowded exit on the East side. He looked both ways as he jogged across the empty street, swerving to sidestep a pair of salary men stumbling out of an izakaya. He rocked back on his heels until they passed and slipped beyond the narrow alleyway between two shops. A couple of college kids walked by, laughing at something on the screen of a cell phone. Naruto shot them a passing glance as he moved on, turned left at the next corner and followed the neon glow of signs until he reached the orange spiral placed over the wooden slats covering the front window. He nodded to a pair of girls seated on the stools outside, smiling when he noted the modest line assembled outside the shop.

"Sure does smell good, doesn't it?" He raised his nose in the air and made a show of inhaling deeply. The girls giggled and he winked at them as he reached for the door. "It shouldn't be long, but thanks for waiting!" he smiled and slipped inside. The warmly lit room was bustling, noisy with the sound of dishes clattering, people chatting and the general slurp of noodles. Naruto glanced around and noted the cheerful faces and the expressions signaling the variety of discussions. Content with what he saw he raised a hand and waved at Konohamaru, parking himself at the end of the counter.

"How are you holding up chief?" Konohamaru made a show of looking cheerful, but Naruto had the feeling that beneath the dark bandana holding back his spiky brown hair, the young man was sweating. Naruto smiled and grabbed a pair of chopsticks, pulling them apart. "One miso, extra pork, hard noodles," he grinned. "Come on, let's see how well you do near the end of the night."

"Then I'll show _you_," Konohamaru grinned, his earlier fatigue melting into concentration. He grabbed a serving of noodles, tossed it into boiling water and made sure it cooked just right. Naruto lifted his chin, angling to watch as the younger man turned to check the pot of miso broth simmering on the stove.

"Any problems while I was gone?" Naruto asked as the young man poured miso broth into a large bowl. Konohamaru shook his head, dark eyes focused on the plate in front of him. Naruto smiled and leaned his cheek against his palm, mischief tugging at his lips. "Did _Moegi_-chan get back okay?" Konohamaru's hand slipped a little as he picked up three slices of pork with his chopsticks. He dropped it back onto the cutting board, cursed under his breath before picking it up again.

"Udon walked her to the station," he replied grumpily, tossing in the rest of the garnishes with a little less care.

Naruto laughed earning himself a less than kind look as Konohamaru set the bowl down on the counter.

Naruto stopped teasing as soon as the scent hit his nostrils. He inspected the bowl carefully, poked the chashu and the green onion. He grabbed a spoon, tasted the broth carefully and recoiled at the temperature. Finally he raised his chopsticks, gathered up a tangle of wavy yellow noodles and raised it to his lips. He slurped them up, mouth working to suck in cool air to ease the burn of the piping hot dish. When he looked up and noted Konohamaru's impatience he smiled a little and slowed down his chewing, opening and closing his mouth in exaggerated gestures. Konohamaru scowled until Naruto smiled and raised a thumbs up to his assistant.

"If you guys are done, these orders aren't filling themselves," Sai hissed through his teeth, maintaining the false smile he kept up for all the customers. He posted his order and settled a tray on the counter, filling up glasses of water and setting them down carefully. Udon was quick on his tail, quiet as he dumped the empty dishes into the sink. He shuffled back to the emptied table with a damp dish rag in his hand.

"Were you able to eat dinner?" Naruto ignored Sai and looked at Konohamaru.

The young man shook his head. "Sai wouldn't let me. He's remarkably good at pointing out other people's responsibilities when it suits him." Konohamaru glared at the waiter as he set out a plate of rice and gyouza. Sai accepted it, meeting Konohamaru's stare until he was forced to turn around to deliver the side dishes.

Naruto chuckled, lowering his chopsticks. He rose from his stool and pushed the bowl of ramen forward. "Then finish that bowl while I give you a front row seat. I'll show you how a pro does it!" Naruto slipped around the counter, opened a high shelf and pulled out a bandana and apron.

Konohamaru switched places with him, opening a fresh pair of chopstick and breaking them in half. He pressed them between his palms and shouted a hasty "Itadakimasu!" He picked up the small jars of ginger and pickled daikon and tossed them into his bowl.

Naruto washed his hands beneath the tap, dried his hands on a nearby dish towel before turning to look at the orders posted at eye level. His hands were swift as he placed bowls on the counter, tossed noodles and ingredients into the boiling water. Konohamaru watched as he worked, silently inhaling the contents of his bowl. In minutes, Naruto had two bowls set out on the counter. He yanked down one order and squinted at the next.

Sai came back again with empty dishes in his hands. He slid around the corner to place them in the sink. "You're in a good mood. Did you finally get some?" he asked over his shoulder.

Naruto concentrated on breaking an egg on top of the fried rice grilling on the pan. He mixed it with his spatula, the metal edge scraping more harshly against the hot plate than he intended.

"It looks pretty busy out there, Sai. Shouldn't you get back to work?" he grumbled.

"You've been dating her how long?" Sai jeered as he slipped back to the other side of the counter.

Naruto ignored his question, choosing instead to turn back to his noodles, using his chopsticks to help them slide into the bowl without splashing. He shifted over to the pork and concentrated on slicing the pieces evenly. He tossed the rest of the ingredients on top of the noodles, setting the bowls on top of the counter roughly. He turned to plate his rice, using the flat edge of his spatula to shape it into a nice mound before setting it on the table.

When he glanced back up, Sai was standing there, still smiling at him like he expected an answer. He made no move to pick up the dishes until Naruto leaned forward and mimicked Sai's smile. "You know if you're not keen on working here anymore..."

Sai snickered as he loaded the dishes onto a tray, his face settling into a familiar pleasant facade as he carried them over to one of the tables.

A bell tinkled at the door and the pair of girls sitting outside walked in. "Irrashai!" Naruto greeted them, smiling and giving them a nod. He watched as Udon seated them at the clean table before concentrating again on his hands.

Konohamaru picked up his bowl, slurping up the broth. He set it down and chewed slowly. "Before I forget, you had some visitors earlier," he said. Naruto grabbed the next order and took a look, pulling out the dumplings and setting them to fry. "A girl and a guy- said they were old acquaintances." Naruto set out a plate for the gyouza. He squirted different sauces on opposite corners.

Naruto froze for the brief second before the sizzling oil quickly snapped him back to attention. "Did they give a name?" Naruto asked, his eyes narrowing as he concentrated on his work.

"One was blonde, tall, looked like she was on a power trip, the other wore more black than Sai does. I think they said their name was Sabaku."

Naruto's spatula clanged where he dropped it on the counter. He picked it up again carefully, laughing at himself and tossed it into the sink. He grabbed a clean one off the rack and hurried to flip the gyouza. "I'm sorry I missed them," he tried to smile. "Did they mention if they would be coming back?"

Konohamaru slurped up another mouthful of noodles, chewing on them slowly. "Ask Sai. He served them."

Naruto glanced back up and looked over the top of Konohamaru's spiky hair. He searched the modest sized restaurant for the slender young man dressed in black from head to toe. Sai looked up as though sensing the attention. Naruto tried to look away, but not soon enough. When Naruto hazarded another peek, Sai had returned his attention to his customers and seemed occupied with taking their orders. But when he was done, he returned to the counter slowly, slinking through the restaurant like a cat and smiling like one too. "Yes?" he practically purred.

"The brother and sister that came in here earlier. Where did they go?" Konohamaru asked.

Sai's grin grew wider as he looked from Konohamaru to Naruto. Naruto tried to avoid his gaze, furrowing his brow in renewed concentration on his work. Sai leaned forward a little closer. "Did you bang her or no?"

"Saaai," Naruto warned.

"It's a simple yes or no answer." He leaned his arms on the counter, looking comfortable as he settled his weight against the sturdy wood.

Naruto clenched his jaw. He avoided both their looks and concentrated instead on shoveling up the fried gyoza and dropping them onto the plate. He placed it on the counter and turned stormy blue eyes on Sai. He gestured toward the plate, but Sai would have none of it. He made no move to touch the plate despite the customers waiting on the cooling dish. Sai lifted one eyebrow in question. Naruto cursed inwardly and glanced at Konohamaru who only mirrored Sai's curiosity.

Shaking his head, he tried to run one hand through his hair, forgetting about the bandana. He shifted it back over his head, trying to straighten it out. "I'm waiting okay?" he growled under his breath.

"What was that?" Sai said, grinning wide enough to show teeth.

"I said I'm waiting!" he said more angrily.

Sai's brows lifted in surprise. "For what? Your dick to fall off?" He grabbed the gyoza and stepped out of Naruto's reach. "You said you were going to be right back. So I told them to wait in your room upstairs. They seemed eager to see you, or one of them did anyways." Sai sped away before Naruto could respond.

Naruto cursed and slammed an empty bowl against the counter. "Why didn't you tell me that in the first place!" he grumbled more to himself. He yanked off his apron and tossed it onto the counter.

"I'm counting on you Konohamaru!" he shouted to his assistant as he rushed up the stairs to the rooms above.

Naruto paused in front of his door, his heart racing and his fingers shaking with excitement. He remembered to yank off his bandana at the last minute before knocking on the door. He tried to remember the last time he saw his best friend, his thoughts rapidly trying to piece together something to say in greeting. He stared at his bedroom door for what felt like minutes before impatience won through and he shouted a simple "I'm coming in!" in warning. Naruto pulled the door open with more force than he intended, pausing when two startled faces looked up at him in response.

"Temari. . . Kankuro," he tried to say cheerfully. Judging by their expressions, he failed.

-

Gaara leaned his hand against the cool glass, staring out beyond his reflection at the glittering city lights. A small red tower stood out against the dark sky, its thin spires delicate like spun glass against the monstrous towers.

Mei held up a glass in front of him, shaking it a little until the ice rattled gently. "Liquid courage, if you need it." The teasing was evident in her tone. Gaara glanced at her over his shoulder. He accepted the glass and raised it to her in thanks. He looked back out over the Tokyo landscape and took a sip, relishing the way the liquid burned warm trails down his throat. He could feel its warmth down to his belly.

"It's beautiful, isn't it? The city at night. I like to stay up here sometimes just to watch it. Sometimes thinking about the people behind each of those lights reminds me I'm not alone out here."

Gaara was silent, keeping his fingers splayed against the glass. He raised the tumbler to his lips and took another sip. Mei's fingers brushed the hair at the nape of his neck. She walked barefoot and yet she was still taller than him. He could see her reflection in the window, her tall graceful frame bent over so that her lips might reach the flesh below his ear.

His head shifted to the side, allowing her to move her lips along his neck, just below the jaw. The ice in his drink shifted.

"Am I being too forward?" she whispered. Her breath tickled along his ear. "If you're not comfortable… being with an older woman."

Gaara took a swig from his glass. He turned, using his free hand to slide across her waist. Her breath smelled sweet, like peppermint. "That depends on whether you can handle a younger man."

Laughter bubbled deep in her throat. Her hands slipped across his waist, slid up his back. She allowed him to lead the slow dance guiding them toward the bed.

"You think in the ten years I have over you I haven't gained a little more experience?" Her smile was a sliver of white, a crescent of moonlight in the dark. Gaara drained off the contents of his glass, felt the liquid spread warmth throughout his limbs. He set the empty tumbler on the bedside table.

His newly freed hand slid up her ribs, one leg fitting between her thighs. "I don't believe in pleading age as a handicap."

The smile vanished as her breast rose against him, the single diamond winking in the dim light. He raised his face to hers and paused, waiting until her painted lips found his in the dark. Her body pressed against his, warm and willing, and her tongue smooth as liquor as it slipped between his teeth.

-

The tick of the clock seemed deafening in the small room. Naruto remained rooted to his spot, left the door open for one tick, two, what felt like too many before he remembered his manners and shut the door. He was grateful that Hinata impressed the importance of keeping his room tidy as he observed Temari kneeling in a designer suit on his tatami floor. Kankuro seemed more at ease, one knee bent the other leg stretched out, while he leaned back against his palms.

He noted the cups of tea on the table and let out an exaggerated sigh of relief. "I'm glad Sai had enough decency to show you the bare minimum of hospitality." His mouth tugged up in one corner. Temari lowered her eyes, fingers clasping the cup in front of her. Naruto's smile faltered and he turned away, kicked off his shoes before padding onto the tatami. He settled opposite of Temari, wrapping his arms around his knees and holding them close to his chest.

"Did you try any of the food downstairs? Can I bring up anything?"

Kankuro shook his head. Temari didn't respond, her eyes fixed on her cup like there was something there to investigate. Naruto attempted a friendly smile, but he felt uneasy. He refrained from asking the one question in his mind.

"What brings you to Osaka?" he said cautiously. He glanced at Kankuro, his gaze sliding to Temari who made no sign of acknowledging his presence.

Kankuro sat up and folded his legs in, crossing them and resting his hands in his lap. "We're sorry to just drop in like this, and at this hour." He glanced at the clock too quickly to note the time. Naruto noted the hour and recognized that if the Sabaku siblings had any intention of leaving tonight, they had missed their chance twenty minutes ago.

"You need a place to crash?" Naruto asked. Kankuro's chest rumbled with a deep chuckle. He shook his head, the tension leaving his expression at least.

"We need to talk to you," he said, the edge in his voice sending Naruto's pulse fluttering.

"It's Gaara," Temari added. The pain held in these two simple words sent his imagination into hyper drive. All his capacity for imagining the worst was suddenly assaulting him with images of his best friend wasting away, in a hospital, in a ditch, in his bedroom waist deep with booze or drugs or whatever self-destructive habit he had allowed himself to lapse into. He wondered what had hurt him or who.

"What happened?" Naruto growled, wondering why Gaara had never called him, wondering why Gaara hadn't come to him before things got too bad. He felt a surge of anger burning through his limbs, calming only when Kankuro raised one hand.

"Relax," Kankuro said, shooting a nervous glance at his sister. "Gaara is fine. He's planning to get married."

Naruto paused, blinked a few times as he looked from Kankuro to Temari. Temari pressed her lips into a thin line, a wrinkle forming between two thin blonde eyebrows. Naruto laughed as he sagged forward with relief. "That's it? He's getting married?" Naruto tossed back his head, releasing the laughter rising from his belly. "You guys looked so grim I thought he was dying!"

Temari huffed and looked away. "I told you this was a stupid idea," she said. Kankuro growled something back that Naruto failed to catch over his own laughter.

"Listen," Kankuro barked, his hands rising from his lap to punctuate the sharpness of that one word. "There's more, so just, listen." His hand fell back into his lap. Naruto knew Gaara's family well enough to know their patience was thin. He quieted down and nodded, waiting for Kankuro to continue.

The tall man took a deep breath, his shoulders and chest rising. He closed his eyes for a brief moment before meeting Naruto's gaze.

"This whole thing is a mistake. And we need your help talking him out of it."

Naruto furrowed his brows, his mouth quirking up incredulously. He almost laughed before he saw the look on Temari's face, an edge to her jaw that made her look like she was ready to attack something.

"I can't imagine she's _that _bad," he joked.

"It's an arranged marriage," Temari said. Her steely green eyes cut off any jokes he might have dared. Naruto's smile vanished.

Kankuro cleared his throat. "I think what Temari is trying to say is that, our brother doesn't love her."

"She's a successful lawyer, a partner at a different firm. She's ten years older, attractive for a woman her age, no kids, never been married, and less than two weeks ago she was only a photo and a profile in my brother's desk," Temari continued.

"It's just," Kankuro interrupted. "We had hoped for something _different_ for Gaara. We always hoped that he would find someone to be with someday and that when he did, it was someone who would love him as much as we do."

Naruto nodded absently.

"We tried to dissuade him at first, but you now how stubborn he gets. And since we have no parents there was no one to really object to his decision when we had the initial meeting. Temari tried, but really, it's _his_ decision. And now that we're her potential in-laws..." Kankuro rubbed the back of his neck with one hand, grimacing. "Let's just say things will be. . . uncomfortable, if we openly oppose the match."

"What do you want me to do?" Naruto asked.

"Talk to him, persuade him out of it. Do whatever thing it is you do that inspires him to try harder. Just help him realize that this marriage business isn't for him."

"I suppose it's been awhile since I called him," Naruto fished in his jeans pocket for his cell phone.

"Actually," Kankuro started. He licked his lips, darting a quick look at his sister. She met his look and nodded. "We were hoping you could handle this in person."

"You want me to go to Tokyo?" Naruto exclaimed. "Just out of the blue? _That_ won't be suspicious."

Temari grabbed her purse from beside her and slid it onto her lap. She rummaged inside briefly, pulling out a white envelope. She stared at it for a moment, and then slid it across the table.

"You'll be in town for business, looking into a possible venue to expand your restaurant. We're prepared to pay the costs of hiring a replacement for the days you are gone and will reimburse all travel related costs."

"You're serious," Naruto said, astonished.

"Our train leaves tomorrow at 9:13 a.m. and Kankuro has a reservation set up at a comfortable business hotel in Akasaka for when you arrive. It's within walking distance of Gaara's condo." Temari lowered her eyes, looking at her fingers as they snapped her purse shut. "We reserved the room through Monday."

Naruto shook his head. "You want me to leave _tomorrow_? Do you really think I can find a replacement in the next couple of hours? How am I supposed to abandon my restaurant and my staff on our busiest night of the week? And I have a _date _on Saturday! I promised Hinata I would go _weeks_ ago! I can't just up and leave them all!" He shoved the envelope away, scowling at the pair of them.

Temari glared at her brother, an _I told you so _written in her expression.

Kankuro looked tired as he rubbed one hand over his face. He nostrils flared a little before he calmed himself, shifting onto his knees and leaning his arms along the small table. "Let me put this in simple terms for you. My brother has been in love with the same person for as long as I can remember. I had hoped that he would one day fight for this person, to reach for that one thing he never had the courage to fight for in the past. So when he told me that he was thinking of an arranged marriage, I knew he started to give up. And if Temari is right, and that velvet box sitting in his desk at work has what I think is inside, then waiting even a day to stop him might be too late. I didn't come all the way down to Osaka for a joy ride, Uzumaki. If we could handle this on our own, trust me, we would. But right now, I'm asking you for help."

Naruto glanced back down at the envelope resting on the table. The flap had opened, the edge of a train ticket poking out. As much as he protested skipping out on his responsibilities, Kankuro's words made him worry again. He wondered why Gaara had never mentioned this someone, or why he had never thought to call and mention such a momentous decision. He warred over whether or not he was really the right person for the job.

"I don't know," Naruto began. "Gaara and I... we haven't really talked in awhile." The admission hurt more than he expected. "What if he doesn't listen to me?"

Kankuro looked at him like he was a moron. "Since when has that stopped you before?"

Temari fished for something in her purse again, pulled out a slip of folded paper and handed it to Naruto. "For you," she said and Naruto reached for it. He unfolded the memo sheet and smiled when he recognized the messy scrawl.

_A list of contacts that might help while you're gone. If you need anymore convincing, do it for my sake? I'm the one that has to live with her. -Shikamaru _

Naruto laughed and shook his head, setting the small slip down on the table. "Alright, alright, just let me make some calls."

-

The air felt chilled as Gaara shifted the sheets, slipping one leg from the bed. The carpet was soft beneath his bare feet and he flexed his toes against it, pausing to stare out the window at the still glittering lights of Tokyo.

"Leaving so soon?" Mei teased from the darkness. He turned to look at her over his shoulder, her face a pale sliver framed in the dark waves spread across the white pillow. He bunched the sheets in his lap, held them there as he bent over and reached for his boxers. He could feel her gaze on his back as he hunched over, sliding one foot through and then the other. He was careful as he stood, sliding the fabric up his legs, suddenly modest despite the dark.

"I have to get back to the office," he said. He looked at her, tried to meet her eyes and regretted it. A casual smile rested on her lips, while her eyes conveyed that she had weighed his statement and recognized it for the excuse that it was. The sheets rustled as she shifted, raising herself on one elbow. Gaara's eyes were drawn to the sheet slipping past her shoulder; to her full breasts bared without shame.

"Ah yes, the joys of working across international hours." Her expression transformed into something pleasant and he wondered how many times she had heard that phrase uttered before.

Gaara looked away, bending to rummage in the dark until he picked up his slacks. His keys jingled from inside his pockets. "Our Hawaii offices should have gotten back to us by now."

He could see her vague reflection in the mirror, watched as she shifted again to settle onto her back and raised one arm over her head. She watched him as he pulled on his shirt and buttoned up the front. "Will I see you again?" she asked, though her tone conveyed that she already decided the answer.

Gaara threw his jacket over his arm. "I'll have my secretary contact you." He waited for her response, but quickly realized there would be none. Her silence felt more stifling than the false niceties smiled minutes before. He tried to look at her again, failed to meet her eyes and offered what he hoped was a reassuring smile. "I'll tell the front desk to charge the room to my account."

She turned her head and Gaara waited for some protest, but he received none as she fixed her gaze on the window, lifting the sheet with one hand to cover herself. He clutched his coat a little tighter and said no good-byes as he shut the door quietly behind him. He held on to the cool metal handle while he reviewed the exchange in his head, wondering how much damage had just been done.

He released the handle reluctantly, slipped his coat on as he walked down the well lit hall. The hotel was as silent as his office on a Sunday night. He pulled out his phone as he reached the metal doors of the elevator, checked his reception as he punched the button on the wall. One missed call and four text messages. He flipped his phone open, scrolled down the names and paused.

Naruto.

The slim black strip highlighted his name and Gaara's thumb hesitated until the elevator arrived, a sharp ring interrupting his reverie. Gaara glanced up and stepped forward onto the clean white tiles. His thumb pressed down one more time, highlighting his junior associate. He pressed dial and listened for the ring tone.

It stopped after the third ring, a female voice clear on the other end.

"Matsuri, it's me. I'll be at the office soon."

-


End file.
